Suárez faces ban for Sporting v Porto gesture 🤔 What do rules say | OneFootball

The classic match between Sporting and Porto, the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals, ended with a 1-0 victory for the Lions, thanks to a penalty converted by Luis Suárez. However, the Colombian striker found himself at the center of controversy after the match, following criticism from the Porto club and Francesco Farioli, who accused the player of assaulting Jan Bednarek, arguing that there was "a gesture" by the striker "that leaves no room for interpretation."

Similar cases have already occurred in Portuguese football. In the 2013/14 season, for example, Enzo Pérez, then a Benfica player, was suspended for one match after making a gesture towards the refereeing team in a draw against Arouca (2-2), a decision based on television footage and Article 158 of the disciplinary regulations of Liga Portugal.

In recent years, however, the Disciplinary Council of the Portuguese Football Federation has favored the content of the referee's report as the basis for any disciplinary decisions. In this sense, the description of the incident made by Cláudio Pereira could play a decisive role.

In Suárez's specific case, since it was a Portuguese Cup match—a competition overseen by the Portuguese Football Federation—Article 153 of the disciplinary regulations applies, relating to threats or offenses to honor and dignity.

According to the document in question, if a player makes offensive gestures or expressions towards the refereeing team before, during, or after an official match, they may be sanctioned with a suspension of between two and eight matches, as well as a fine.

Therefore, if disciplinary proceedings are initiated and the infraction is confirmed, the possible suspension of the Sporting striker could fall within the range set out in the federation's regulations, with updates on the case now awaited.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.